


Arthur “Arty” Pendragon II

by HolyKingWasteLand



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur comes back from the dead, Baby Arty Pendragon, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This On My Phone, Light Angst, Merlin acts like a dad, Momma Gwen, Not Beta Read, Original Male Character is Arthur's son, Post Season 5, Uncle Merlin, We Die Like Men, it's late and i have homework to do, papa arthur, so sorry if this reads weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18893023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolyKingWasteLand/pseuds/HolyKingWasteLand
Summary: "Do you think that.... that if daddy was here.... that he would- would like me?” The child looks anxious, afraid of what the answer might be.Merlin smiles easily at him, and pulls Arty onto his stomach. “Arty Arthur Pendragon. Your father would love you.”The grin on his face says a thousand words.





	Arthur “Arty” Pendragon II

“How are you feeling this morning my lady?” Merlin asks, smiling softly as he gently draws the curtains of Gwen’s room. He hears a soft mumble come from the bed and he looks back to see Gwen struggling to sit up. He rushes over to help her and she exhales exhaustedly.

“Thank you Merlin,” She breathes touching her head with a wince. “And please, call me Gwen.”

“Headache?” A nod. He frowns in sympathy and picks up the medication from beside her bed before sitting down beside her. “You have to take this now.” He says apologetically, and Gwen sighs but gestures for him to hand it over.

She takes the drink in one shot and then lies back down carefully. “What do I have on today?” She asks faintly, almost asleep again.

“Nothing, Gwen, I have it all handled.” At her incredulous look, he elaborates. “You’re to give birth any day now, you need to save your strength.”

She groans and huffs out a laugh, “You sound just like Gaius and Elyan.”

“And,” He continues, rolling his eyes at her comment. “I’ve done this with Arthur so many times, I can practically run this kingdom myself!” He smiles jokingly, but it fades at her silence and sad eyes. “Oh Gwen- I’m sorry, I know it is still a sore topic-“

“No no it’s fine Merlin.” Gwen clears her throat of the raw emotion there and sits up again, with the help of Merlin. “We can’t just ignore him or his memory. He is missed so dearly, but we cannot keep avoiding his name..” She inhales sharply and presses a hand to her round belly.

Merlin puts his hands out to steady her when her eyes snap open and she suddenly looks frightened.

“Merlin...” She looks up into his eyes, her own are wide and confused. “I think this baby is coming.” She whispers, and Merlin looks down, noticing that the sheets are wet. He gasps and looks back up at her. “Get Gaius-“ She begs before crying out again.

Merlin lays her back down and tells her to breathe before running to the door. He opens it and explains quickly to a passing maid: “Get Gaius- the Queen’s giving birth!” The maid nods and rushes down the hall to the stairwell. Merlin returns to his friend and coaches her through breathing cycles Gaius had taught him.

 

* * *

 

Gwen holds the baby in her arms for the first time, Gaius is washing his hands in a bucket, and Merlin is sitting beside her, a giant smile on his face.

“I think I know what to name him,” She mumbles, softly touching the baby boy’s face delicately with her shaky index finger. Merlin looks up at her. “Arthur.” She whispers, tears already formed in her eyes.

Merlin takes in a long breath at this and looks down at the small blond baby boy. “Arthur.” He repeats, nodding.

She laughs and looks up at her friend. “And we can call him Arty for short!” Merlin laughs along with her.

“He always hated when I called him that, I think he preferred Royal Prat over Arty.” The Warlock comments, and Arty’s eyes blink open to stars at them, piercing blue eyes; alike to a stormy ocean with crackles of lightning. “He’s so beautiful.” Gwen nods in agreement and Gaius wanders over to them with an easy-going smile.

“You have thought of a name?” Gaius asks, holding up a parchment and quill.

Gwen nods. “Arthur.”

 

* * *

 

“And that’s the story of how I saved your father for the hundredth time.” Merlin finishes the story and watches as Arty’s eyes light up.

“And daddy knew you had da Magics?” Arty asks, crawling up into Merlin’s lap. Birds chirp in the tree above them.

Merlin hums and tilts his head to the side. “No, not at first. Your dad didn’t know I had magic for...” he counts on his fingers until he reaches- “Almost ten years, I think.” Arty looks at him incredulously. “Well you see, your dad didn’t really... accept magic, he only came around before he.....” Merlin drifts off and shakes his head.

“Before he died?” Arty asks quietly.

Merlin looks down at the boy for a moment and they hold eye contact until Merlin smiles. “Are you sure you’re Arthur’s child? You’re too smart for that to be true!” He tickles Arty’s sides and the little kid shrieks and giggles as he struggles to get away.

Many people in the courtyard look over at them fondly, they’re pretty used to this now; young Arty is almost five, his birthday is coming up in the spring.

Merlin ceases his attack and Arty lays on his back taking in gasping breaths; his clothes are going to get grass-stains on them, but Merlin’s having too good of a time to care.

“Uncle Merlin?” Arty pipes up, and Merlin looks over at the youngling. “Do you think that.... that if daddy was here.... that he would- would like me?” The child looks anxious, afraid of what the answer might be.

Merlin smiles easily at him, and pulls Arty onto his stomach. “Arty Arthur Pendragon. Your father would love you.”

The grin on his face says a thousand words.

 

* * *

 

Arty goes out into the garden looking for Merlin, but the man is nowhere to be seen. He walks over to a lady in blue and a man chatting. He patiently stands beside them until they both look down and the lady coos and leans down, petting the royal son’s hair kindly.

“What can we do for you Prince Arty?” She asks, smiling down at him.

“Hello m’lady, sir, I was wondering, did you know where Uncle Merlin is?” Arty asks respectfully. The lady and man share a look of ‘this kid is too cute’.

“I’m sorry Sire, I haven’t seen him since yesterday. Have you asked her majesty?” The man asks, and Arty hums in thought.

“Mother’s been busy lately. But I’ll ask if she has a moment. Thank you,” He bows his head to them and turns around and skips away like a happy six year old.

 

* * *

 

“Mother?” Arty pokes his head around the door. “Do you have a minute?”

Gwen looks up and smiles maternally at him. “For you Arty, always.” She stands up from her desk and walks around to him, lifting him up into her arms and then sits down on the side of the bed with him. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Well, I was wondering where Uncle Merlin was. We usually read books in the garden on days like this.” Arty gestures to the window and Gwen inhales sharply.

“Merlin... He had somewhere very important to go.” Gwen side steps his question.

Arty huffs. “Mother, I’m a whole six years old now, you don’t have to baby proof your answer.” He says, smirking in the way that looks so much like Arthur. Then he gets quiet and looks a lot more like Merlin when he asks softly, “Is it something to do with magic?”

Gwen laughs and runs her fingers through his short sandy blond hair. “Yes sweetie, it’s magic business. But he should be home within the week.” She plants a kiss on his forehead and the boy grins.

“Okay! Well, I’ll let you get back to work. See you at lunch time!” He rushes out the door, Gwen’s laugh carrying out of the room behind him.

 

* * *

 

A few days later there’s a commotion in the square. Gwen collects Arty into her arms and rushes to their window balcony, looking down to see Merlin and a blonde haired man getting off a horse.

Arty is confused until Gwen gasps. He looks down again and sees Merlin hugging the man, when everything clicks. That’s-

He jumps out of Gwen’s arms and rushes out of the room, down the castle stairs, and hears his mother running right behind him.

They get outside and Gwen runs into the man’s arms, crying into his shoulder. They stay like that while Merlin walks over to Arty and kneels beside him.

“Hello Sire,” Merlin jokes, and Arty stifles a laugh by covering his mouth with both hands. “I have someone I want you to meet in a moment.”

Arty points to the blond discreetly. “You mean him?”

Merlin laughs softly and ruffles his hair. “Yep, you’re so smart.” He pulls Arty into a hug before pulling away and whispers quietly to the boy, “Sorry for leaving before saying anything.”

“Magic is like that sometimes,” Arty shrugs with a smile. “So who is he?”

Merlin stands up and clears his throat, gaining the blond’s attention and Gwen pulls away with a sniffle. “Arthur, this is your son, Arty. Arty, this is” He gets cut off by the little boy himself.

“My dad,” He whispers.

Arthur’s eyes fill with tears again and he looks around at his two best friends. “I-I have a son?” Gwen nods, and Arthur kneels down. “Hey buddy, nice hair.” He laughs breathily and Arty giggles, stepping forward to touch his dad’s outstretched hands.

“Thank you,” Arty says bashfully and then readily allows Arthur to pull him into a warm hug.

Merlin laughs softly when Arthur picks his son up and puts him up on his shoulder, watching how relaxed Gwen is now. He’s finally fulfilled his destiny.

Albion is finally in their reach.


End file.
